Mesquite City Council candidates weigh in on business, Mesa View at chamber forum

On Oct. 10, 2018, the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce, led by CEO Carol Kolson (center), hosted a forum for the six city council candidates (from left to right): Sandra Ramaker, Geno Withelder, David Ballweg, George Gault, Annie Black and Karen Fielding.(Photo: Terell Wilkins/Desert Valley Times)Buy Photo

As time winds down before next month’s election, candidates for Mesquite City Council are sharpening their final points.

The Mesquite Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday held its monthly luncheon, which doubled as a forum where candidates could voice their opinions on city issues.

Six candidates are vying for three spots on the city council: Sandra Ramaker and incumbent Geno Withelder for Seat 1; George Gault and incumbent David Ballweg for Seat 3; and Annie Black and Karen Fielding for Seat 4.

Councilman Rich Green, who currently holds Seat 4, is not seeking re-election. Seats 2 and 4 and the office of mayor are not up for a vote this year because terms are officials' terms are staggered.

Each pair of candidates was asked about topics including business and the city's future.

Boosting Mesquite business

When asked about their vision for making it easier for a business to open in Mesquite, Ballweg outlined a program he helped put in place that gives conditional licenses to new businesses.

“I introduced a completely new concept and passed an ordinance called a conditional business license. And what this allows us to do is if there is not something in our business licensing category that we need to get the people a quick license, it is plotted from the city council within a couple weeks without going through ordinance chains and all the other issues,” Ballweg said. “We can get them a business license quicker.”

His opponent, Gault, said a broader effort is needed to solve the issue.

“I believe that we must be more than golf, gaming and retirement, and we’ve got to create new avenues of employment and new jobs that keep our young people here,” Gault said. “When we start doing that then we’ve got to create affordable housing and daycare. I think we’re doing a reasonable job of making it easy for businesses to come here but I think we can continue to improve our licensing procedures.”

Mesa View labor and delivery services

Ramaker and Withelder were questioned about the closure of the OB-GYN department at Mesa View Regional Hospital.

Ramaker, a volunteer at Mesa View, supported keeping it around out of necessity.

“I think that we need to remember that we want to have full care for everyone and that our hospital is there and we need to use it and be happy that we even have it,” Ramaker said. “If we didn’t have a hospital in town, a lot of us wouldn’t be here. And the care that is given there is good care. I’m not excited about the fact that we lost the OB-GYN department, and I’m hoping that it will come back in some partial form.”

Withelder had an opposing viewpoint. He said the OB-GYN department is not financially feasible and will have to go in order for the hospital to continue adequate service in other areas.

“If you have the opportunity to sit about 10 or 12 hours with (Mesa View CEO Ned Hill) he presents a very convincing argument that it is not financially stable,” Withelder said. “However, I think they are breaking the development agreement in some fashion because, according to the agreement, they are bound to hold it open until 2022. So I think it is going to come down to determination of the courts as to the legality of the closing of this service or not.”

A vision of Mesquite's future

Black and Fielding were asked about where they see Mesquite in five years and their plans to get there.

Black outlined a five-step plan to help Mesquite attain the vision she has for it.

“We need to figure out who we are and who we aren’t, build an updated and modern brand around that and then set a plan and start actively pursuing companies we want to have here in Mesquite,” Black said. “I would like to make Mesquite more business-friendly by simplifying our rules, regulations and red tape and by cleaning this up to make Mesquite the most business-friendly city that developers have ever heard of.”

Fielding decided to use prior evidence and personal attitude to predict a business upturn in Mesquite.

“We are going to have positive growth, and the reason I say that is because it is already proven that our businesses are increasing," Fielding said. “I get the building permit every month. We have increased business, we have increased building and we’re going to continue that as Mesquite grows. We are now at 22,000 people. Mesquite needs a positive reputation because people are going to continue to move here, so what I want to do is be a positive influence to the city of Mesquite.”

Time running out

Wednesday’s forum was one of the final opportunities council candidates have to speak in front of the public before the election. The Mesquite Republican Women held an election mixer/forum Saturday at First Baptist Church.